The Global Forest Products Model: Structure, Estimation, and Applications

The Global Forest Products Model (GFPM) book provides a complete introduction to this widely applied computer model. The GFPM is a dynamic economic equilibrium model that is used to predict production, consumption, trade, and prices of 14 major forest products in 180 interacting countries. The book thoroughly documents the methods, data, and computer software of the model, and demonstrates the model's usefulness in addressing international economic and environmental issues.

The Global Forest Products Model is written by an international multi-disciplinary team and is ideal for graduate students and professionals in forestry, natural resource economics, and related fields. It explains trends in world forest industries in the simplest terms by explaining the economic theory underlying the model. It describes six applications of the GFPM, three of which were commissioned by the Food Agriculture of the United Nations, the USDA Forest Service, and New Zealand Research.

The authors show how to apply the model to real issues such as the effects of the Asian economic crisis on the forest sector, the effects of eliminating tariffs on international trade and production, and the international effects of national environmental policies. They provide complete explanations on how to use the GFPM software, prepare the data, make the forecasts, and summarize the results with tables and graphs.

Comprehensive, and rigorous description of the world forestry sectorWritten by an international multi-disciplinary teamThorough description of data and methodsIn-depth applications to modern economic and policy issuesDetailed documentation of the computer softwareSuitable for students, researchers, and decision makers

PART 1 INTRODUCTION 1 Background and Objectives 2 Overview of the Global Forest Products

PART 2 GFPM MODEL CONSTRUCTION  3 GFPM Structure and Formulation 4 Model Calibration and Validation

PART 3 GFPM APPLICATIONS 5 The Base Scenario 6 Effects of the Asian Economic Crisis 7 Effects of Tariff Liberalization  8 Impact of United States Paper recycling Policies 9 Effects of Regional trade agreements on New Zealand  10 Impacts of United States Timber Harvest Restrictions

PART 4 GFPM SOFTWARE  11 Using the GFPM Software 12 GFPM Software design and implementation 13 Summary and Conclusion